Artist: Oldfield, Mike
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Release: 2002
Rating: 3.8/5
The 1990s were a strange stretch for Oldfield, one where he came across as a split personality. He put out some really good albums, and in between a few that are pretty far below par. Since the nineties he’s released some really lovely records, like Amarok, Songs of Distant Earth and Tubular Bells II, but also a bunch of much weaker stuff like Tubular Bells III, The Millenium Bell and Light + Shade. Luckily, Tres Lunas falls into the first category.
The atmosphere on the album is pretty laid-back; ravers would even call it “chill out” music. I think this record rises above most so-called “chill out” music, although there are a few gems hiding in that corner too (Air, for instance, often get described that way). Let’s just say it’s an album that helps you unwind. This time there are no dreadful “drum and bass” elements, just programmed drums. Mike manages to keep the relaxed feel going through the whole album, even though some parts are faster and louder than others. You could maybe put that down to modern production too, which has a knack for flattening out big swings in volume.
In the seventies, Mike Oldfield managed to create colorful contrasts between the individual sections, but lately he’s left that behind and apparently prefers it when all his tracks are built on a similar principle. I tried not to let that bug me and focused only on the quality of the music. And that quality is really good, easily one of his better efforts of late. Sure, it’s light-years away from Ommadawn, but nobody was expecting miracles. This album needs to be listened to independently of the musician’s past. It’s great to hear Oldfield once again making heavy use of two of my favorite instruments, acoustic and classical guitar. He always shines on those. Songs like “Turtle Island”, “No Man’s Land” and “Firefly” are a breath of fresh air among the more ambient material. Of course, there’s plenty of electric guitar too, which with its distinctive sound has become his trademark. The sound of his guitar is one of the most recognizable in rock, right up there with giants like Robert Fripp and Steve Hackett.
Although there aren’t many vocal moments on the record, the ones that are there are done with feeling. Those duties were mostly handled by Mike’s sister Sally and by Amar. For the most part, the vocals are used as just another instrument, building atmosphere or carrying one of the melodies. The only song with “proper” lyrics is “To Be Free”, which really gets stuck in your ear and which Oldfield was probably aiming at the charts. But we live in different times from when “Moonlight Shadow” or “To France” came out. Good pop songs aren’t interesting anymore. People obviously want to hear bad pop. The worse it is, the better.
The album is mostly very tuneful, with solid melodies and instrumentation, most of which the main man handled himself. For me, the one big problem is the programmed drums. If you listen to his stuff from the seventies and eighties, you’ll notice Oldfield was one of the best when it came to refined percussion. Often he didn’t even use a drum kit, just some African drums, sticks, a concert bass drum and the like. But whatever he used, it always sounded great. Now it seems like he can’t even be bothered anymore. He creates wonderful music but doesn’t see it through the way he should. I don’t believe he’d really prefer programmed drums over real ones.
Another thing I don’t get is the second CD, which is supposed to contain a computer game. Except it doesn’t! All that’s on it is a demo, and if you want to play the full game, you have to order the record again through his website. Why would I pay twenty pounds for a game I might not even like, when I already have the music? It really doesn’t seem fair, since the shop price is what you’d pay for a double CD, so by that logic you should get the whole game.
Anyway, the positives definitely outweigh Oldfield’s laziness, or whatever was behind the various shortcomings. It’s a very welcome return to form for this old tomcat, though that didn’t last long either, since he fumbled it pretty badly again with the next release, Light + Shade, but that’s a topic for another review. I just hope you won’t expect the Oldfield of the seventies and partly the eighties, and that you’ll listen with an open mind. Then you might even like this one, but that’s not guaranteed either.
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It has been an on and off period for Mike Oldfield since the 1990s. He releases a good album and then follows it up with something of much poorer quality. Since the 90s, he has released some really wonderful records, like Amarok, Songs of Distant Earth or even Tubular Bells II, but he’s also put out albums that are much inferior, like Tubular Bells III, The Millenium Bell and Light + Shade. Fortunately Tres Lunas is one album that belongs in the former category.
The atmosphere throughout the album is really relaxed, something the ravers and techno freaks might call chill out music. I think this record is a bit better than chill out music, although as I say this, there have been some excellent bands classified as chill out (Air pops to mind). Let’s just call it a relaxed album. There are no dreaded drum and bass elements this time, luckily, just some sample drums. Mike Oldfield manages to keep the calm feeling going all the way through despite going through some passages that are faster and louder than others. Perhaps this could also be attributed to modern production techniques, which have the ability to neutralize any big changes in volume. Sometimes, this may be a bad thing, sometimes good.
The Mike Oldfield of the 70s was able to create great colourful contrasts between passages, yet now he seems to leave that behind and actually prefers most of the tracks to have a similar quality to one another. I tried not to let this bother me and simply tried to focus on the material. And the material is good. Some of the best he’s produced in the last years. It’s light years from Ommadawn, still you can’t expect miracles to happen. It’s great to see Mike using the much beloved acoustic and classical guitars to such extent again. He really is a master of those two instruments. Songs like “Turtle Island”, “No Man’s Land” and “Firefly” are like a breath of fresh air among the more ambiental pieces. Naturally, Mike’s trademark electric guitar sound is also omnipresent throughout the record. He must have one of the most distinctive guitar sounds ever, alongside people like Robert Fripp or Steve Hackett.
Although there are not many vocal moments here, the ones that are present are very well done. Most of the duties were handled by Mike’s sister Sally and Amar. For most of the time, the vocals are used as another instruments, for either setting the background of a song or singing the melody. The only track with “real” lyrics is “To Be Free”, which is a nice catchy number and probably another stab at a chart hit. However we live in different times than when “Moonlight Shadow” or “To France” were released. Good pop songs are no longer interesting. People want to hear bad pop, the worse the better.
Most of the album is a very melodic affair, with solid melodies and good instrumentation. The one big problem I had with it is again the sampled drums. If you listen to some of his 70s and even 80s efforts, Oldfield incorporated some of the most tasteful percussion instruments on his pieces. A lot of the times, he didn’t even use a kit, he’d just use African drums, rhythm sticks, timpani or similar instruments. But whatever he used, it always sounded great. Now it seems as if he just doesn’t want to make an effort any more. He has all this wonderful material and doesn’t do the job as it was supposed to be done. I can’t believe that he would rather use sampled drums than real ones, that would just be silly. Another thing I can’t comprehend is the second disc. It’s supposed to contain a computer game. Well, it doesn’t. It contains only a demo and if you want the whole game, you have to order the CD again from his website. Why would I pay twenty pounds for a computer game I may not even end up liking, when I already have the music? Still, it doesn’t seem fair. In stores, the prices reflect those of double CDs and not single, so there really should be the entire game on the second disc.
Still, the positive aspects largely outweigh any laziness on Mike Oldfield’s part and this makes for a welcome return to form by Mike Oldfield. It didn’t last long however. Light and Shade was soon to follow. That wasn’t so good. But I’ll explain that in another review. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.
Line-up
Mike Oldfield – all instruments
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Jude Sim – vocals
Amar – vocals
Sally Oldfield – vocals
Philip Lewis
Thomas Süßmair – percussion programming
Production
Mike Oldfield
Track list
1. Misty
2. No man’s land
3. Return to the origin
4. Landfall
5. Viper
6. Turtle island
7. To be free
8. Firefly
9. Tr3s lunas
10. Daydream
11. Thou art in Heaven
12. Sirius
13. No man’s land (reprise)
14. To Be Free (Radio Edit)
